


Light Shining Through an Old Battered Window

by AmateurScribes



Series: Whumptober 2019 [17]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: "stay with me", Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Illusions, Kissing, M/M, Mercenaries, Possessive Behavior, Prompt Fic, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 13:43:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21075845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmateurScribes/pseuds/AmateurScribes
Summary: If there was anything that Grif had learned in this life- this long and regretful life of his, is that somewhere he had started to walk down a path that wasn't quite what he expected for himself.And the only reason why he continued to walk down it was that Simmons was further ahead on the path.





	Light Shining Through an Old Battered Window

**Author's Note:**

> So I went ahead and made an additional series specifically for this AU for easier navigation, which you can find [here](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1519847)! The last two parts will be later this month, so stay tuned!
> 
> For the duration of this event, all mistakes are my own.

Staring at the glowing beam of light, Grif can't help but feel like that somewhere down the line the two of them may have made some sort of mistake.

He just wishes for the life of him that he could pinpoint what it was exactly.

Because if there was one thing he knew for certain it was that neither he nor Simmons were eligible as a true warrior.

"Only a true warrior may enter; a being of great strength and mental clarity," Simmons repeated after staring down the Charon supplied scientist. "Huh."

But Grif recognized that tone, he's known the man well enough that he can tell exactly when he was going to start trouble.

"You," Simmons pointed to a random space pirate. "Hop in there, I need to see what it does."

"Me?" the woman pointed at herself, voice hesitant. "But-"

"If you don't jump in willingly I will throw you in," he stated plainly, and Grif shuddered internally at the calmness of his voice.

The pirate looked at him and then the supposed gateway, before deciding that she'd much rather retain a little dignity, and so she jumped in.

"Sir-" the scientist started but stopped when Simmons directed his attention towards him. His voice wobbled but he continued, "We don't know what the consequences are if the person  _ isn't _ a true warrior."

"And that's why I'm conducting a test," Simmons stated plainly. "It's the same thing as using lab rats, no big deal."

Grif's mouth twitched into a frown at that, at the callous way that Simmons was implying at throwing someone else's life away like that. Even if that person was just as much as a criminal as the two of them.

And they didn't have to wait long at all before the beam of light spat back out the pirate and she crumbled to her knees, so weak that she couldn't even hold herself up as her arms shook.

Simmons knelt down next to her and demanded, "What happened? What did you see?"

"I was back there," she babbled, voice cracking. "I- everyone I'd ever- they were all alive again. How?"

"So it brings back ghosts of the past?" Simmons asked, but the pirate just continued to shake, slightly sobbing now. "What the hell are we paying you for if you can't even keep your composure? Get her out of here," he directed towards the scientist.

The man was kind enough to help her up, her legs wobbling as she leaned into the man. He brought her towards the other pirates that had accompanied them, but all of them were looking away as if Simmons was the teacher and they were the students that didn't want to get called on.

He wasn't so sure how many tests Simmons wanted to conduct, but if it was as simple as making you face the people that you've wronged, then Grif might be the best candidate for going in.

Grif's the driver, and he's only killed rarely- all people that he never really knew, all people that were bad people themselves and so he never grew to regret his actions.

He could do this, he could enter and see if he was a true warrior, and if so and it turned out that the beam could be used as a transportation device then perhaps it'd be worth it.

"Now," Simmons stated, staring at the other pirates. "Which one of you  _ with _ a spine will be nex-"

"I'll go," Grif interrupted.

"What?!" Simmons whirled towards him, shock present in his voice. "No!"

"Look, we can't keep chucking in henchmen," Grif directed towards him in a murmur as he heard the collective sigh of the space pirates at his gaining Simmons' attention. "They're just nobodies, maybe the temple is looking for someone who's a key player in this whole war."

"Absolutely not," Simmons snapped. "We still don't know what it does exactly- you can't just willingly  _ put _ yourself in danger like that."

"And why not?" he grew frustrated, Simmons always got like this. "I'm just as every bit as skilled as you are-"

"You're not going in and that's  _ final," _ Simmons snarled. "If anyone's going to go in, then it'll be me. Just to satisfy your bitching."

He felt his face heat up in anger at the treatment but knew that if he tried to say anything else it would just get ignored or outright dismissed.

Grif's fist clenched as he watched Simmons turn away from him, thinking that he had gotten his way like always.

Simmons disappeared into the beam of light, and after waiting three seconds he decided,  _ screw that, _ and jumped in right after him.

A bright, white light blinded his vision and he halfway raises his hand to block it when it's gone, and he's left in an abandoned area very similar to the temple he was just in. 

Perhaps it truly was a transportation gate like those cubes that the SIM's had, but looking around he couldn't find a beam of light to bring him back.

The edges of his vision were blurry, and he felt dizzy as he stared at his environment, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

Then, from his right, he could see Simmons approaching him- his armor strangely gone, leaving his face out in the wide open.

But strangest yet, the other man didn't look mad at him.

"Simmons-" he started when the other man finally neared, but he had to stop when the mercenary put his hands on his chest.

There's only a small sliver of his brain that realizes that he  _ too _ is somehow bereft of armor.

Palms laying flat against Grif's chest, Simmons leans in close, resting his head against his shoulder, saying, "Grif?"

Before he could respond, Simmons was kissing him all over- his lips first, then moving to his neck where he lightly bit his skin.

His brain was short-circuiting because they hadn't had a moment like this in quite some time- not since this whole thing began.

Slowly he brought his hands up onto Simmons' waist, wanting to reciprocate with all his heart- all thoughts about beams of light and tests having gone out the window.

"Stay with me?" Simmons huskily whispered, his breath hot against his neck, and Grif shivered.

"Always," he didn't hesitate to respond, having gone over this song and dance many times in the past when it was just the two of them.

Before he can even blink, he's shoved to the ground harshly, knocking his senses right back into him, as Simmons stares down at him with contempt.

"You're lying," he told Grif plainly, face devoid of any emotion except anger.

Pushing himself up with his arms, he can feel his heart beat quicker as he panicked, "I'm not!"

"No you are, you don't want to be with me," Simmons sneered, leaning forward. "All I ever ask is for you to stay with me, but you never do."

"What do you mean- I haven't left your side since we met!" his eyes darted to and fro as if looking at the minute of his face would make the pure loathing disappear off of it.

"Then why are you always running off," Simmons exploded. "I keep trying to keep you out of harm’s way, but you disobey me."

"I haven't," he argued.

But Simmons lunges at him, hands shooting to gripe tightly against his throat, and automatically Grif responds by placing his own hands over the other man in an attempt to pry him off.

"Then why are you here," Simmons demands. "I told you to stay put but you just jumped right in."

"But-" he choked as Simmons increased his hold over his throat. "Nothing- urk-  _ happened." _

"And that's supposed to make it okay?" the other mercenary sneered. "When will you learn that everything I do- I do it for you!"

Grif was starting to become light-headed, and in a surge of strength, he kicked Simmons off of him, turning to his side as he choked furiously.

"I love you!" Simmons cried out, not getting off of the grown from where he had been knocked aside. "Can't you see that-"

Turning around he rushed away from the other man, freaking out over just what he was supposed to do without a beam of light to get him back to the other temple and far away from Simmons.

He closed his eyes for just one second in his haste, thereby causing him to knock into another body.

And for one panicked moment, he thought it was the other mercenary, but looking up- or rather down- he came eye to eye with his baby faced little sister.

But she had a bullet hole in her head- right through her eye.

"Running away again, Dex?" she asked, voice melancholy, not noticing the way that her brother started to shake in front of her. "Are you going to run away from me again?"

"Kai," he whispered, hands going up to cover his mouth, trying to keep the bile in as he couldn't stop staring at the ashen colored corpse of his sister.

"Why is that the only thing you know how to do?" she asked, and she came forward, causing Grif to take a step back.

He couldn't take it anymore, his hands shot up to yank on his hair as he furiously clenched his eyes shut, not caring that he had collapsed to his knees. 

But she just wouldn't stop, she just kept on asking him, 'why' and he didn't  _ know _ why- he just didn't. And then he heard the voice of Simmons join her, berating him for hurting himself in this way, if only he had listened to  _ him- _

Grif's being thrown out of the gateway before he's even had a chance to realize it had all been an illusion.

He's disorientated, and there's Simmons kneeling down next to him- armor on- and his hands are on his chest, and Grif tries to push him away, but the other man persists.

"Gr-  _ Nero!" _ he called out concerned. "Are you ok, what happened? What did you see?"

"Huh," he mumbles, awareness of his surroundings coming back to him. "Oh."

"What did you see," Simmons demanded again. 

"I-" it's coming together that what he saw wasn't real, and a lump forms in his throat, knowing that he'll have to lie about the entirety of it. "I saw my sister," he started. "She's dead. That should've clued me in."

But that does comfort him, that what he had seen wasn't real. That nightmarish vision of Simmons wasn't reality. 

Simmons sighed out in relief before his tone turned sharp as he scolded, "See? If you hadn't gone in then you wouldn't have seen that. This is  _ why _ I tell you to do things, but you never listen."

Perhaps it wasn't as much of an illusion as he'd hoped it'd been.

"What did you see?" he blurted out, wanting to know if it was anything like what he had seen.

"We're leaving," Simmons ignored him and got up, directing to the space pirates, "Let's get a move-out,  _ now." _

What else did he expect?

And somehow he's still heartbroken.

* * *

There was nothing more Simmons wanted than to see that temple destroyed, but for now, he would just have to settle for getting the fuck out of there.

And getting back to the main base, he had thought that that would be the end of things, that nothing else would shit his fucking cereal.

But when had things  _ ever _ gone right for him? 

He ignored that counselor that they had collected from the prison ship- he never trusted clinical types. And he trusted that Grif wouldn't talk to him either.

What he wasn't expecting was the  _ additional _ armored soldier.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked, defensive as he pulled out his trusty knife.

Behind him, he saw through his peripheral vision Grif activating his shield.

"Hello boys," the man chirped, and even though it'd been years Simmons recognized that voice.

"Donut?" Grif questioned behind him, deactivating his shield- the  _ idiot- _ and asking, "What are you doing here?"

"He arrived not too long ago," the Counselor answered. "Control confirmed that he'd be joining the two of you, I can show you the evidence of this if you'd like?"

Ignoring the man, Simmons took a step towards Donut and asked, "How the fuck are you still alive?"

"Well, after you so  _ rudely _ tried to kill me, I managed to drag myself to a doctor friend of mine," Donut answered.

"How!?" his voice went high with his disbelief. "I set your apartment on  _ fire!" _

"You did what?" Grif asked aghast.

"A good thing that you did that too! The fire really helped to cauterize my wounds," Donut informed him smugly.

He walked towards Grif and pulled off his helmet with a comment that it was getting  _ far _ too snug with it on. But Simmons knows that he really did it to showcase the burnt scars that pulled tightly against the right side of his face, a white murky eye having replaced his original one.

"Hey, Grif! Love what you've done with your style, this armor suits you much better than any suit did," he walked right past Simmons to the other mercenary. "And hey! Take off your helmet too, you're other eye is messed up as well right? We can be eye twins- your right and my left can make a complete set!"

Growling, he moved in between the two of them, saying, "What are you even doing here?"

"Well, I figured that I should get back into the game, it's been so boring doing normal jobs," Donut groaned. "So when I saw that the Chairman of Charon Industries was looking for a new gun for hire, I just had a feeling that it was the right decision to make!"

Glaring at the other man, Simmons cleared his throat and said, "I want to speak to Donut,  _ privately." _

Grif understood what he wanted immediately, leaving the room with only a small passing glance at the two of them, to which Donut mouthed, 'talk to you later' at him- not if Simmons had anything to do with it. 

Price took a second to observe the two of them before he too bowed out of the room, and Simmons was glad for his presence to be gone.

Which just left him with the traitor.

"I know you for who you are," Simmons hissed. "So you can drop the act."

The innocent smile that had previously been on Donut's face had disappeared the moment that they were well and truly alone.

"Let's get one thing straight," Donut leveled him with a flat look. "I don't like you."

"Could have fooled me," Simmons frowned, rolling his eyes.

"And I will get back at you for what you did to me," the other mercenary continued. "But it just so happens that I have a reason to be on the same side as you- those Freelancers were responsible for my cousin's death. I'm just here to even the score- with both them and  _ you." _

"You can try," he snapped, not taking kindly to the threat.

"Oh, I will," Donut promised. "And when I'm done with you, I'll steal your man too," he stuck his tongue out at him.

His ire increasing, Simmons clenched the fist that was holding onto his knife tighter, teeth grinding against each other as he held himself back from pouncing on the other man.

"I'm joking! Obviously," Donut rolled his eyes. "I don't exactly need to steal  _ anybody. _ I bet he still doesn't know where you got that knife from."

"And you won't tell him," Simmons hissed, hearing the threat of blackmail just waiting to be revealed.

"We'll see about that," Donut said, shrugging. "Cheer up, Dick! We're on the same side!"

He turned his back on Simmons- a truly stupid thing to do, Simmons didn't have any qualms about attacking a man when his back was turned- and started to walk out of the room.

Trying to get one last jab in, Donut threw over his shoulder, "For  _ now _ at least."

If Simmons ended up throwing his knife into the door that Donut left out of, imagining that it was the mercenary himself, that was for him to know only.

What a truly shitty day.

**Author's Note:**

> I love doing swap AU's where it isn't a perfect swap, because after all, inherently they aren't the same characters, so things will change, ya know? So that's what I'm going for here with the Grif and Simmons dynamic, and by making Donut fill both the roles of Siris _and_ Sharkface. Neat, huh?
> 
> If you'd like to contact me, you can find me at either of my Tumblr's: @agent-murica (main) and @amateurscribes (writing)!


End file.
